Series in the bag, Kumble says India can unsettle mighty Aussies

Published: Wednesday, December 12, 2007, 20:35 [IST]

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Bangalore, Dec 12 (UNI) Having led India to a home series win against Pakistan after 28 years, a charged-up Anil Kumble said his side has the ammunition to give the Australians a tough fight in the four-Test series beginning on December 26.

''We have the batting line up that can put up big scores. When this happens we have the bowlers who can trouble the Australians. I am confident of my boys doing well Down Under,''Kumble said after India drew the third Test against Pakistan to clinch the three-match series 1-0.

India had won the first Test by six wickets in New Delhi before drawing in Kolkata in the second.

India's last series victory against Pakistan at home was the 2-0 win in that country's tour from November 1979 to February 1980 for a six-Test series.

Kumble said the team as a whole performed well in this Test with Sourav Ganguly and Yuvraj Singh standing out in the first innings and rookie speedster Ishant Sharma justifying his inclusion in the team.

''The entire team performed well and if bad light had not come in the way, we might have finished 2-0. However, it is good that we won the series and the team played very well in the series right from winning the first Test at Delhi and even in the drawn Test at Kolkata and now here in Bangalore,'' the ace leg spinner said.

''Ganguly was special,'' said a smiling Kumble of the Bengal southpaw who was adjudged the player-of -the-series for his splendid form with the willow.

Yuvraj, who scored a rollicking century (169) coming into a difficult time in India's first innings, was chosen the best batsman of the match.

Kumble said the series win against Pakistan has given a morale booster just before touring Australia for the four-Test series.

''The Pakistan series came as good opportunity for the Intian team to prepare for the forthcoming Australia tour and the team took full advantage of it.

''It was not right to say that Pakistan team was weak. They were good team, they had good batting and bowling line ups.'' The 37-year-old Bangalorean revealed that he bowled medium pace Kumble for the first in his career and it paid off.

''I bowled medium pace for the first time in my 25 years of bowling, and it fetched good result and I could take 34th five wicket haul,'' he said.

Today's five wicket haul put Kumble second only to Sri Lankan spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan who had five-wicket hauls for 42 times. It was also his 25th five-wicket haul in India.

Kumble's feat was also the 25th instant of a bowler capturing five or more wickets in Test in Bangalore.

''For me it was a great feeling since the series win was in my home town and with my wife, children and mother watching.

When asked about the delay in effecting declaration of the Indian second innings, he said, ''I took the right decision about declaring and put pressure on the opposition,'' ''I never expected that weather would affect today's play, but I was confident of winning the series.'' UNI